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A rain delay pushed back the start time from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. But once the Hardhats finally hit the field, they took no time to get the bats going against Missoula. 

Junior right fielder Wyatt Reeder reached base with a two-out double. Junior designated hitter Kain McLeod then doubled to center field to score Reeder. 

Senior left fielder Jace Morgan smacked the team's third-straight double to score McLeod and give Post 22 a 2-0 lead they'd never hand back to Missoula.

"I just thought the desire and the will to win was there top to bottom," Post 22 assistant coach Nic Ewing said. "They didn't waste any time waking up the bats." 

Post 22 (45-7-1) defeated Missoula 6-0 to win the 50th annual Firecracker Tournament on Sunday at Fitzgerald Stadium. The Hardhats totaled 10 hits in the win.

McLeod went 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs batted in. McLeod struggled in some of the earlier games in the Firecracker Tournament, so Ewing was happy to see him turn it around against Missoula. 

"He roped that first one," Ewing said. "You could tell that confidence was there. The ball must have looked huge to him today, because every ball he hit was just on the screws."

After coming off an 0-for-3 performance against Pueblo Saturday, McLeod said he focused on coming into the batter's box with a new mindset.

"I just felt in the moment," McLeod said. "I just felt comfortable in the box and it worked out."

Winning the Firecracker Tournament was an awesome feeling for McLeod, he said, especially with it being the 50th year of the tournament in front of the hometown fans. 

"This tournament shows that we are a very good team," McLeod said. "It's just a stepping stone for us. There's bigger things that are coming in the future."

Junior pitcher Broeden Sales pitched four innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out four. Senior pitcher Skyler Montgomery pitched the final three innings and allowed just one hit. 

Ewing said he was proud of how the team's entire pitching staff performed all week long. The team compiled two shutouts across the six tournament games, and only had one game where they allowed more than one run.

"The pitchers did a phenomenal job," Ewing said. "They gave up five earned runs in six games, so that's impressive numbers." 

He also credited the team's defense all week for coming up with huge plays.

Against Missoula on Sunday, the Mavericks put pressure on Post 22 in the top of the fifth with runners on the corner and only one out. A grounder hit toward Hardhats senior third baseman Aiden Roberts led to a inning-ending double play to stave off any Missoula momentum.

"Our four infielders are phenomenal," Ewing siad. "When there's big moments, they make big things happen."

Ewing was happy with his team's offense after they struggled in Saturday's doubleheader that included a 1-0 loss to Skutt. 

"It was a game that I thought was right there for us," he said. "It was hard for me to get over to be honest."

The second half of their win against Pueblo Saturday helped Post 22 have a short memory over their loss and come back with confidence heading into their victory Sunday against Missoula. 

The Fitz was once again filled with fans watching the title game. Ewing said it's a lot of fun to see so many people show out throughout the week to watch Post 22 in the Firecracker Tournament. 

Ewing said: "This is what small town baseball is all about."

With postseason baseball quickly approaching, Ewing said winning the Firecracker Tournament served an important role in giving the team playoff-type experience. 

Winning tournaments whether mid-season or in the playoffs is always difficult, Ewing said, and the coaching staff hammers into their team the importance of getting used to winning.

"This group, particularly, has played great baseball, but a lot of them haven't won big tournaments" Ewing said. "They know that because we talk about. This is a huge morale booster for them to taste this and just start to believe in yourself even more."

"You're not just a good team, but you can win tournaments."